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The fashion industry is the second biggest polluter in the world. Major brands are exploiting garment workers and harming the environment in the production of shoes and clothing. However, there has been a rise in sustainable fashion brands, making everything from sportswear to underwear who are putting people and the planet before profit.

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As food & drink prices continue to rise across the world, it is often the producers and workers who are losing out to big corporations. We shine a light on the food sovereignty movement pushing for a fairer food system that supports local business and we comment on the rise of veganism.

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Many of the issues from our homes & garden are often hidden from the consumer, from toxic chemicals in our cleaning products to pesticides in our garden. We look at the greenest way to wash, clean and cook and how to recycle your old appliances.

The mainstream banking & insurance industries continue to invest in shady investments such as fossil fuels and nuclear weapons. However, a growing number of ethical alternatives makes it easier than ever to switch to a sustainable bank account or pick an insurance company with an ethical policy.

We look at shops or online platforms that sell a range of products, and how they tend to dominate the market by implementing a profit-first business model and by having a lacklustre approach to ethical practice. We also celebrate ethical companies offering an alternative, from online retailers to sustainable fashion brands.

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The tech sector is plagued by reports of tax avoidance, corporate lobbying and the use of conflict minerals. We look at the brands proving that technology can be made ethically, from Fairphone to Green ISP.

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Are you a lover of the outdoors? Unfortunately the companies that provide your outdoor gear & transport are often harming the environment; from car companies cheating emission tests to outdoor gear companies using toxic chemicals that damage the environment. We provide practical information for consumers on how to keep your ethics while you travel.

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Ecover NV

Ecover is now owned by cleaning products company SC Johnson, who also own a host of other well know brands including Mr Muscle and Toilet Duck.

So how does this takeover affect Ecover’s ethical score?

As you might imagine being taken over by a large company has a negative effect on their ethical rating. There are a few reasons for this.

Environment

Overall, Ecover received Ethical Consumer's middle rating for Pollution and Toxics as it had effectively banned the use of triclosan and phthalates from its products but still used parabens in some.

However parent company SC Johnson still used all three types of chemicals in many of its other branded products.

People

Ecover previously lost no marks under the human rights category. However, SC Johnson has subsidiaries that operate in a number of oppressive regimes. This included China, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Venezuela and Vietnam. Therefore SC Johnson and Ecover lost half a mark under Human Rights.

Animals

SC Johnson still openly tests on animals.

The Naturewatch Foundation is now calling on Ecover and Method to use their new position of influence with SC Johnson to convince their parent company to stop all commissioning or conducting of animal tests across their entire range of products.

Until then, Naturewatch is asking consumers to boycott all SC Johnson brands, including Ecover and Method, until the entire company is cruelty-free.

Politics

Ecover pick up marks from their parent company for political donations.

In January 2019, Ethical Consumer viewed the Open Secrets website, which stated that SC Johnson & Son Inc had made $440,732 in political donations over the 2017 to 2018 election cycle.

Money was donated to both the Republican and Democrat parties, but the vast majority of donations were made to the Republican party:

Republicans: $386,950

Democrats: $53,767

As a result, the company received Ethical Consumer's worst rating for Political Activity and lost a whole mark under the category.

The Final Ethical Score

Ecover now scores 7 out of 14 (as of 8/2/19). Previously it scored 11 out of 14.